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Note on the armhole or scye depth measurement

It is noted that the armhole or scye depth which is an important measurement is a measurement above all that must be gauged. This is the measurement from the nape to a line that intersects the underarm. What is the aim of this measurement? If one discovers what exactly one is aiming to do when measuring this, then one can perhaps understand how important it is and how this measurement above all depends on style. Maybe one can say that one wants to just measure the body. Can one get a measurement for the scye depth? Of course one can but you can imagine that this was a measurement that was more important in times past such as the nineteenth century

If one asks ‘but can a measurement be taken of the scye depth’ one is asking the wrong question. Yes, of course a measurement is taken and for the basic bodice block, this is an important measurement. It must be measured correctly so that the armhole is drawn properly.

The scye depth measurement besides its dependence on fashion or style is a difficult measurement to take. You are measuring from the nape to a line which just goes below the armhole. In other words, the arm comes into the body at the socket. It ‘falls’ into the body. See the upper-arm or bicep measurement which is the first arm circumference measurement and then see how above the bicep area, the arm ‘falls’ into the socket. It falls into the body. One is asking what is the depth of this armhole and this armhole depth is measured from the nape to a horizontal line known as the across-back line or in the front the chest line.

Note how the term ‘depth’ is used for this measurement. And this ‘depth’ is measured as a straight line from nape downwards. The aim is to get a measurement for the depth of the armhole and it is akin to getting a measurement from a shoulder point to an underarm point but how can you do this measurement. Obviously through long practice, a suitable arm depth or depth of scye measurement was taken in a straight line from the nape and this is a measurement well tried and tested for creating basic bodice as well as other patterns.